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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26572237">Day 263</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard'>Josh_the_Bard</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Year in Kirkwall [263]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:07:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>609</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26572237</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Year in Kirkwall [263]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Day 263</h2></a>
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    <p>Nabil leaned off the end of the dock and splashed cold water on his face. He had done his three days on the wall but his punishment was far from over. Aveline was suspending his wages until he had paid back all the criminals he had confiscated from criminals over the years. He should have known that things would go to shit under Aveline eventually. Jeven never would have done this. He understood what it was like to be a guard, the city paid scraps compared to what their work was worth, sometimes you had to get creative to make ends meet.</p><p>He patrolled the docs with Donnic. According to Aveline, he would need a chaperone while out in the city for the next few days. ‘To make sure he still remembered how the guards behaved.’ Bullshit. Fortunately he had a plan. </p><p>Nabil had friends all over Kirkwall. A few weeks back he had stumbled on a safehouse for mages. He could have tried to fight, and die, like an idiot. He could have run for a templar, like a coward. Instead he had simply gone on with his patrol, but let the mages know that he would be coming to collect a favor someday. Well that day was today. He couldn’t do much to Donnic, seeing as how he was sticking the captain. However, if Donnic suddenly came to the realization that he had been unfair on Nabil and that the evidence against him was forged, well then that would be fine.</p><p>Nabil had already sent the message for his contact, all that was left was to get Donnic into position.</p><p>“I think I heard something over here,” he called out, pointing down an alley.</p><p>Donnic peered down the alley, following where Nabil had pointed. </p><p>“I don’t see anything,” said Donnic. “Watch my back.” the guardsman went down the alley, waving his torch at every shadow. It seems that whatever else the man suspected Nabil of, treachery was not on that list.</p><p>Nabil saw the bloodmage, Brakkus, coming up behind him and motioned for the man to take up a position where Donnic couldn’t see. Donnis had just about finished searching the alley and was heading back.</p><p>“Behind you,” Nabil shouted. Donnic turned back down the alley, saw nothing and turned back to face Nabil. He did not look happy.</p><p>“What are you playing at,” he demanded. </p><p>Brakkus leapt from his hiding spot drawing a knife across his arm and reaching out towards Donnic with his free hand. Nabil watched the blood fly towards the other guard but Donnic tossed his torch directly at Brakkus, hitting the mage squarely in the chest. The man threw his hand up instinctively and accidentally stabbed his knife clean through his forearm. The spell fizzled and Brakkus stumbled backwards. </p><p>Donnic charged forwards, ramming his shield into the mage and knocking him off his feet. Before the Brakkus could do anything Donnic had driven his sword through the man’s throat. Donnic rounded on Nabil.</p><p>“Why did you do nothing?” he demanded. “Were you trying to get me-”</p><p>Nabil shut the man up with a quick punch to the mouth. He felt Donnic’s jaw give way before his mailed fist. A second hit knocked Nabil’s chaperone unconscious. Nabil expected to be panicking but he found himself thinking with unusual clarity. He could not go back to the guards after this, not without finding another bloodmage to bend Donnic’s mind. He had no other contacts that knew the art… but he had heard rumors of a deal going in in Darktown. Mages from all corners of the city would be there, and so would Nabil.</p>
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